our crossed stars
by Huinari
Summary: We were born to die – sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough, but I don't know why. Oneshot collection. Takumi/Azura, all three paths.
1. Aquarius

**AQUARIUS**

 _Water Bearer_

* * *

When she sings the song she already knows that it's too late for him.

The feeling of using her pendant in conjunction with the forgotten god's lullaby is like that of tapping into a dragon vein through her birthright. There is a rushing, buzzing feeling in her blood that thrums throughout her entire body, like pins and needles, along with the sensation of just _knowing_. Knowing what she would never be able to vocalize with words like a song or a poem, but feel, like an instinct. Like breathing, or blinking, it is just natural to know.

In this case, knowing that it is too late for Takumi – or rather, his body, for his soul has departed his shell already – to be saved by anything she can do.

But she does not give up on him like she did before, when she turned her back on the beautiful country that became her heart's home to enter the dark Nohr once more, to face scars of memories from hard times she wanted to leave behind forever all so she could have a place to belong, to be with someone who could _understand_ what her situation was like.

In a way his blood is on her hands – had she not left, he wouldn't have been driven into this sorrowful state, possessed by a vengeful shade that manipulates his body like a puppet. Had she stayed, she could have sung for him earlier, sat next to him and offer an ear willing to listen to his burdens and inner fears, ease his stressed shoulders of the world's weight that he carried.

But no - she made her choice. And he was her consequence.

Azura sings, feeling the life in her drain out of her body like water spilling from an upturned bottle. Her fingers and toes grow numb, and the feeling only spreads before pain replaces them, but the words come out from her mouth enveloped in the melody her mother taught her. At her bosom the pendant glows continuously with her life force.

It's not enough – a bottle of water could never sate the parched ground of a desert's dead land – but it does not stop her.


	2. Aries

**ARIES**

 _The Ram_

* * *

The one that talks the most with Azura, exchanging light, small words that are little but collectively pile up into something so meaningful is Sakura. The one that defends Azura in court when nobles talk behind her back, using whispers loud enough for sharp ears to catch easily is Ryoma. The one that taught Azura the wonders of flying on the back of a winged horse, high up in the sky is Hinoka.

Out of all four of them, however, it's actually Takumi that spends the most time with Azura. He's the one that keeps an eye out for her when she wants to sing next to her lake. He does it from a distance – far enough so that he can keep himself out of her sight and give her a sense of privacy, but close enough so that he can hear her sing, and step in should anything dangerous threaten her.

Hoshido has not accepted Azura as its princess, in place of their missing one. Takumi cannot speak for his other siblings, but he has not accepted her as his sister.

Whatever Queen Mikoto has said about her being treated like a princess of Hoshido, it is not safe for a royal in only name, unaccepted by any save for a very select few, to go around alone without a retainer to protect her when there are many who harbor ill will towards her and what she represents.

(Failure. Loss. Murder. Betrayal. Abduction. A price not yet paid back in the currency of blood.)

Takumi always makes sure to follow her when she slips away from the palace and all the people looking at her, but he steps lightly, the breeze of Fujin Yumi letting him step as silent as a ninja through the forest, and does not let her know what he does.

There will be dissent and dissatisfaction when a noble family is punished for an attempt to – hurt? Kidnap? Kill? – a hostage from a hostile nation, but there can be no complaint when the second-in-line to the blessed throne of Hoshido and the wielder of the divine bow is the one supposedly threatened in the attempt.

If she knows what he does, when she looks at him with gold eyes framed by hair the color of lake water, eyes that are older than her age and speak of knowledge deep and vast, she does not say. If she knows why he does what he does, she doesn't give any signs of knowing it.

She's always been perceptive, but she doesn't say, or ask. And though her gaze leaves him flustered and uncertain with his words, he won't be the first to admit it.

Takumi cannot speak for his brother or sisters, but he has not accepted Azura as a sister. No brother looks at his sister the way he looks at Azura.


	3. Capricorn

**CAPRICORN**

 _The Goat_

* * *

The celebration of the New Year was one the Hoshidan Royal Family usually did as a family. It was a family tradition as far as Takumi could remember, with his earliest memories involving King Sumeragi and Queen Mikoto holding their hands and leading them down the streets to mingle with the people, to see them in the flesh. After his father's passing it was Queen Mikoto and the older siblings watching out for him and Sakura, but it was still a family event, with all of them dressed in festive clothes and joining in the atmosphere of excitement.

But this year, the first New Year's Celebrations after the war was over, Ryoma was showing his future bride around her soon-to-be-home and introducing her to the rich cultures of Hoshido, Sakura was in the temples to carry out the ceremonies as a shrine maiden, and Hinoka was far off in Nohr, as was Corrin.

Which left him and Azura. And they were kind of – sort of – maybe – definitely and happily but still very nervously – now seeing each other. Which made this less of a family outing and more of a date.

Takumi tugged at the silk scarf around his neck.

"Sorry I'm late," said a soft voice.

He turned with a lot more calm than he felt. Azura was always beautiful, but when she was fully decked out like this, in a festive furisode that matched her hair and highlighted the gold of her eyes, she was breathtaking.

"It's alright," Takumi replied, and his voice didn't shake. "I just got here."

Azura fidgeted with the sweeping sleeves of her silk robes before she straightened her back. "Do you want to play the games first," she began, "or get something to eat?"

He wanted to say games, because winning prizes always made him feel better about anything, but his stomach was sending panging signs, quietly demanding to be filled. The last thing he wanted to do was to let out a loud gurgle in front of Azura, who had sharp ears, and die of mortification.

"How about some food? I'd like some mochi."

She smiled faintly. "I'd like that as well. Let's go."

Despite their decision, there was still somewhere they had to stop by before they could join in on the rest of the festivities.

The large, newly-made statue of Queen Mikoto, benevolently smiling with eyes curved like half-moons, already had many offerings of flowers, foods, charms and other items piled in front of it. Azura paused to remove something from her sleeve – a flower like the one embroidered on her furisode – and placed it alongside the others.

Takumi glanced up at the statue. Ryoma had – thankfully – commissioned an artist with better skills than his retainer, and their deceased mother's likeliness had been well-captured. If he truly wanted to be picky, he could always point out the flaws in the shape of her eyes, or the sweeping of her hair, or so on, but it would be unfair to compare a statue to the kindest, most loving mother he remembered.

He removed the prayer tag – folded up neatly – from his own sleeve and placed it alongside Azura's flowers. It was less of a prayer and more of a letter that was almost embarrassingly childish, but it was from the heart and he did mean every word he had written, and he couldn't tear it up or write one in a more mature manner.

Next year, Takumi promised himself. He'd write less childishly.

He turned around, and frowned. The streets were brightly lit with colorful lanterns strung up between roofs, and vendors were calling out to potential customers trying to sell their wares, and he could barely see the cobblestones laid out on the ground with all the people around.

Takumi ran over words in his head, dismissed several, and decided on an almost-feverish impulse to simply reach out and take her hand in his. Azura started slightly, but relaxed once she realized what he had done.

"It's crowded," he said, ears and the back of his neck feeling like there was a fire burning right behind them. He didn't dare look directly at her eyes.

Azura tightened her hold on his hand. Though Corrin often kept her in the back of the army, afraid for her health, Azura was still a capable fighter who trained as hard as any soldier so she wouldn't be a burden on anyone. Her fingers and palms were calloused, but even so her hands were still small and slender and fit right in his own.

"Good idea," she said.

Despite the heat in his face, Takumi smiled.


End file.
